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Usually when you think about water sports, you think about surf, Kite surfing, bodysurfing, etc. However, there is one that few people know called Skimboarding. Skimboarding is a sport similar to surfing which takes place near the shore. This sport is becoming quite a popular, interesting and a fun sport done by people of any age that like the beach. The most important aspects are about its history, the equipment used, and how to do skimboarding.

Skimboarding has a rich history. What started over sixty years ago when Laguna Beach lifeguards used to skimboard on pieces of wood has evolved into a highly competitive water sport. Most people know skimboarding as "that thing you do on the sand," and while this statement is true, skimboarding has become so much more, it has become a real sport. Skimboarding has become part of growing up in Laguna Beach. Almost all of the kids in Laguna try skimboarding. Most don't keep practicing this sport but the ones who do are very dedicated to the sport.

To do skimboard you need few things. First, a board selected according to your weight and experience. There are wooden boards, but modern skimboards are made out of fiberglass or carbon fiber. The modern skimboards are recommended because they float more than the wooden boards. Then, a wax must be applied on top of the board where you place your feet. This wax is used to prevent you from slipping. Some people use a tail pad identical to the one used on surfboards; however, using this tail pad is up to you.

Now the most important part, how to get on the board. The skimboarder stands on the sand away from the ocean with the skimboard in hand and waits for a wave. When they see a wave, they run towards it with their skimboard still in hand. When they reach the wet sand, they drop the board and jump onto it as quickly as possible. In order to perform this act, you most run, but don’t run too fast neither too slow. Then, you drop the board (don’t throw, it just drop it) and finally the slide. For the slide, bend your knees, maintain balance on the center of the board, slide in a wave and come back to shore.

As you practice and practice, you will master the basics, and then you could try getting waves farther from shore and do some tricks for fun. I can’t tell you anything else, but try this amazing sport. If you are a beach lover and a water sport fanatic, you will love this sport that is becoming more popular because is practiced by many people around the world.